About the author -- Foreword -- Introduction: why you should want to speak to absolutely anyone -- Common fears and barriers about speaking to absolutely anyone -- Fear : does it hold you back? -- "I don't want to experience rejection" -- "I worry about what other people might think" -- "I hate talking to strangers : why would i want to?" -- The four stages of an interaction -- Stage 1 Your outcome and starting a conversation -- How : how do we mentally and physically approach? -- What : what do we say? -- Stage 2 : creating curiosity and interest -- Stage 3 : making a connection and being understood -- Stage 4 : get them to take action -- Making your communication even better -- Your voice and other conversation techniques -- Common pitfalls -- Difficult work and business conversations -- Final thoughts -- Index.